Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. At the End of May this year, the United States imposed sanctions on five current and former Ugandan officials for their alleged involvement in significant corruption and violation of human rights. The five Uganda public officials who were sanctioned by the U.S, including the country’s Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among, the immediate former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt-Gen Peter Elwelu, former Minister of Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu, former Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu and Minister of State for Finance Amos Lugolobi.
Accusations
The U.S. accused Speaker Among of significant corruption tied to her leadership of Uganda’s Parliament. Elwelu former deputy chief of the Ugandan Peoples’ Defence Forces, was designated due to his alleged involvement in “gross violations of human rights,” according to a statement by the State Department. The U.S. move has put more pressure on Uganda to act on the integrity and human rights record of its officers. Kitutu and her deputy Nandutu, as well as Minister of State for Finance Amos Lugolobi, were sanctioned over their involvement in significant corruption related to conduct that misused public resources and diverted materials from Uganda’s neediest communities.
UAE and UK sanctions
The U.S. sanctions against Ugandan officials happened in just weeks after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) picked on the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom on the speaker Among and the two former ministers over corruption allegations. The UAE government instructed all financial institutions on in the country to halt dealing with the three accused Ugandan politicians in any transactions. These instructions were immediately put into practice when the Central Bank of UAE issued a warning to all financial institutions in the Middle East country to thwart any transactions coming from Among, Nandutu, or Kitutu. The UAE government directed immigration to issue red flags should any of the three travels through the country. Emirates sanctions came at a time when the Speaker was battling sanctions announced by the United Kingdom at the end of April for corruption, which has led to the freezing of her property and financial holdings in the UK. The UK government’s sanctions were announced by the Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell. The UK’s Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime ordered sanctions on the Ugandan trio and also ordered their assets in the United Kingdom frozen. Mitchell clarified why the UK government is concerned about the iron sheets scandal by saying that the trio” taking aid from those who need it most and keeping the proceeds, is corruption at its worst and has no place in society.The UK used sanctions as a way of sending a clear message to those who think benefiting at the expense of others is acceptable that corruption has consequences and that whoever participates in it will be held responsible.
The U.S sanctions grounds
According to the U.S. agency, the U.S. government is taking steps to impose visa restrictions for multiple other Ugandan officials for “undermining the democratic process and repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations in Uganda.” The U.S imposed the sanctions on the five Ugandan officials to show that the country stands with Ugandans advocating for democratic principles, a government that delivers for all its citizens, and accountability for actions committed by those who abuse them through corruption and gross violations of human rights. The statement issued by Matthew Miller Department of State spokesperson said that the four officials including the speaker, the two former ministers and Minister Lugolobi abused their public positions for their benefit at the expense of Ugandans.
The sanctions
According to the statement, the sanctions are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47). All the designated five Ugandan officials placed under sanctions including their spouses are generally ineligible for entry into the United States. The Department said that these individuals are responsible for, or complicit in, the repression of Ugandan members of political opposition groups, civil society organizers, and vulnerable communities in Uganda.
Uganda reacts
Ugandan Minister for Information Communication Technology (ICT) and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi questioned the sanctions by saying how did the U.S. found the Ugandan officials guilty of the cases of corruption which are still pending a court judgment. He also argued that Speaker Among has never been convicted by any court of law; how did she end up on the corruption list? Ugandan State Minister for Foreign Affairs Oryem Okello believes that the U.S. government’s action is targeting Speaker Among for her role and leadership in fighting LBGTQ and homosexuality in Uganda. In May 2023, the parliament of Uganda passed a law prescribing life and death sentences for certain acts of homosexuality, a move strongly criticized by some Western countries, including Britain and the U.S.
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